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PORT VILA, Vanuatu (The Independent, May 30) - Up to 15,000 hectares (3,706 acres) of land on south Malekula – the second largest island in Vanuatu - may be leased by a joint business venture between foreign and local enterprises, according to environmental and investment authorities in Port Vila.

Vanuatu Investment Promotion Authority, the Department of Lands and the Environment Unit have signed a certificate of negotiation that gives the company the right to negotiate with landowners in south Malekula.

Malampa provincial government was still reluctant to give approval before The Independent went to print.

A major part of the project was reportedly to develop cattle in the area, but there are rumours the venture also looked at the possibility of other business in the area, including leasing land to interested investors for real estate and resorts.

Concern was raised by south Malekula leaders in the capital over the proposed plans....

PORT VILA, Vanuatu (The Independent, May 30) – "Can't we chose one of the Vanuatu languages to become our main language?" asked Vanuatu President Kalkot Mataskelekele during his address to open the legislature last Monday.

Mataskelekele said he felt certain aspects of Vanuatu life had not changed sufficiently since Independence.

"Anglophonism'"and "francophonism" continue today as 25 years ago, even though bilingualism had been encouraged, the president noted.

The solution, he said, is to choose one of the more than 100 languages of Vanuatu to become the "main" language.

The president admitted that he had possibly broken diplomatic protocol in addressing the Indonesian president recently on political matters relating to West Papuan independence.

"I expressed my concern that one man should not kill another. West Papuans should not kill Indonesian soldiers and vice versa." The Vanuatu leader said the Indonesian government said it was very concerned...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, May 31) – Three university graduates in Papua New Guinea are turning to vocational training in their desperation to find work.

This is unheard of in Papua New Guinea and shows the unemployment picture of the country in a telling way.

It is also a huge boost for vocational training, which has been seen as an alternative for school drop-outs.

Northern Province Acting Administrator Ross Ungaia revealed the "shocking" move by the three university graduates during the closing ceremony of a two-week technical and vocational training (TVET) workshop in Popondetta on Friday.

The move also underlines the fact that up to 50,000 students are being pushed out of the education system each year with no prospect of employment.

Mr Ungaia said although the move by the three people (whom he did not name) might shock people, Northern had led PNG in new grounds before. He called on the Education Department to upgrade...

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (SIBC, May 31) – The Solomon Islands Treasury Department confirms that funding is ready, following cabinet approval, to assist the people of Temotu Pele in the country’s Reef Islands who have reportedly been struggling with a severe food shortage since last December .

The Division says payment for food will be made as soon as a request for documents is submitted by the Department of Home Affairs.

A contingency warrant was approved by cabinet last week for SB$500,000 (US$67,900) to assist the people.

[The problem was first reported by SIBC in April, when a man from Otelo village in the Reef Islands called for help, saying 7,000 residents were short of food. Patterson Natei said crops had been poor because of unusually dry weather last year.]

SIBC News understands that the National Disaster Management Office has in the past few days been trying to secure a boat at a reasonable charter rate.

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, May 31) – Fiji's national carrier, Air Pacific, has announced its highest profit ever despite strong competition from no-frills airlines Freedom Air and Virgin Blue.

Air Pacific achieved a pre-tax profit of FJ$35.9 million (US$21.3 million) for the financial year ended March 31, an increase of 3.7 percent over the previous year, according to chairman Gerald Barrack.

The profit after tax was FJ$24.5 million (US$14.5 million), slightly above the previous year.

Barrack said the board declared a dividend of FJ$7.3 million or 28 cents a share, and has approved payment of a bonus to its entire staff.

Despite the good results attained by Air Pacific for 2004/2005, it is expected that next year’s results will be considerably weaker. The price of fuel continues to be a major concern, says Barrack.

PAPEÉTE, Tahiti (Tahitipresse, May 31) - The victory in France of the "no" vote in the weekend’s European Union constitutional treaty referendum was an expression of "disapproval" of French President Jacques Chirac, according to French Polynesia’s government.

And instead of highlighting the victory of the "yes" vote in French Polynesia, a communiqué issued Sunday night by French Polynesia Vice President Jacqui Drollet spoke of "the massive abstention" by voters, who showed that "Europe is too far away geographically, but also daily, for (French) Polynesians."

The "no" victory in France, Drollet’s communiqué stated, has created "a political, economic, social and deep identity crisis in France. The political construction of Europe has broken down, but the European Union is not in danger and will continue to function on the basis of the former treaties."

But Tahiti’s government notes that the Association of Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) remains...

"Any positive developments achieved so far could easily be reversed if the security situation were to deteriorate and the implementation of government reforms are prolonged," the Bank said in its Monetary Policy Stance 2005, released last week.

However, the Bank said it would maintain its current monetary stance and continue to foster conditions conducive to the orderly and balanced economic development of Solomon Islands.

This requires close monitoring of all indicators such as changes in the exchange rates, external reserves, money and credit aggregates, prudent implementation of governments 2005 budget, level of donor assistance inflows, and developments in the global economy to help determined any change in policy direction it might want to take...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, May 31) – The Papua New Guinea government has requested support from the United Nations for PNG’s sovereignty over Bougainville as warlord Francis Oda continues to promote his "Republic of Me’ekamu" in the province.

Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Sir Rabbie Namaliu signed a letter seeking a statement from the U.N. making it clear that the organization recognizes the Papua New Guinea as the sole legitimate government of Bougainville, and that the "Republic of Me’ekamui" and "Royal Kingdom of Papala" do not have the international community’s recognition or support.

The letter was delivered to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s office on Friday by PNG’s Ambassador to the United Nations Robert Aisi in New York. The letter dated May 26 thanked the United Nations for their involvement in the Bougainville peace process that has now resulted in the current Bougainville polls reaching the counting stage and an...

The planes just got here in March, following three subs based one by one over the last three years in this isolated U.S. territory that is 6,000 miles closer to the Taiwan Straits than to New York.

If eager local leaders get their wish, the western Pacific isle may eventually welcome the biggest military prize of all: an aircraft carrier.

The Pentagon is considering moving one of the ships - it has 12 total - to either Guam or HawaiÂ´i to edge closer to potential flashpoints in Asia. The pending decision pits two tropical economies heavily dependent on the military in direct competition for more defense dollars.

Guam residents such as Rey Acierto are hopeful that the island will win the race.

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.